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All business owners need to treat this with the utmost respect towards their business strategy and IT health.

After 12 years, support for Windows XP will end on April 8, 2014. There will be no more security updates or technical support for the Windows XP operating system. It is very important that customers and partners migrate to a modern operating system.

After April 8, 2014, Microsoft will no longer provide security updates or technical support for Windows XP. Security updates patch vulnerabilities that may be exploited by malware and help keep users and their data safer. PCs running Windows XP after April 8, 2014, should not be considered to be protected, and it is important that you migrate to a current supported operating system – so you can receive regular security updates to protect their computer from malicious attacks.

Potential risks of staying with Windows XP

Running Windows XP SP3 in your environment after April 8, 2104 may expose you to potential risks, such as:

Security:

Without critical Windows XP security updates, your PC may become vulnerable to harmful viruses, spyware, and other malicious software which can steal or damage your business data and information. Anti-virus software will also not be able to fully protect you once Windows XP itself is unsupported.

Compliance:

Businesses that are governed by regulatory obligations such as HIPAA may find that they are no longer able to satisfy compliance requirements. More information on HHS’s view on the security requirements for information systems that contain electronic protected health information (e-PHI) can be found here (HHS HIPAA FAQ - Security Rule).

Lack of Independent Software Vendor (ISV) Support:

Many software vendors will no longer support their products running on Windows XP as they are unable to receive Windows XP updates. For example, the new Office takes advantage of the modern Windows and will not run on Windows XP.

Hardware Manufacturer support:

Most PC hardware manufacturers will stop supporting Windows XP on existing and new hardware. This will also mean that drivers required to run Windows XP on new hardware may not be available.

Tuesday Tech Tip, February 25, 2014

Tuesday, 25 February 2014 07:31

Developing Your Sales Pipeline: The Follow-Up

Last Tuesday Tech Tip we reviewed the Sales Process from Wikipedia listed as:

Prospecting / initial contact

Preapproach - planning the sale

Approach

Need assessment

Presentation

Meeting objections

Gaining commitment

Follow-up

By now you have thought thoroughly about your sales process and maybe are actively selecting the software that helps channel new customers into your sales pipeline. The follow –up is the last piece of the process that software needs to be able to facilitate and collect. There is still service to be performed after a sale is made, and depending on your product, you will want to factor in lead time for the client to get comfortable with their purchase and formulate their questions.

First, confirm the terms of the sale. You may have a template crafted in your software for just such a thing. If there is a tracking number, you can provide that to your client, or let them know that you will. If you have the item shipped to you first, then perform additional work, let them know that you will keep them posted throughout the process – and FOLLOW UP. Having a program that can prompt you to perform these activities is pivotal.

Additionally, you should always keep in mind that surveys are helpful to your entire team. If you can get your client to fill out survey, often these can be analyzed to pinpoint a break in the chain of providing your exceptional service or product. Craft the questions so they mirror your pipeline, helping the client to appraise their experience as they passed through the various stages.

If you can, showcase their business or celebrate it. Send a thank you gift in some way – but let them know that they are appreciated. Have gratitude as part of your pipeline and have the software to analyze how often you do it, absorbing the costs into marketing.

Finally, you will want to have the final piece of your pipeline to get referrals. There are various stages throughout the pipeline where asking for referrals can be inserted, but you should certainly exercise this opportunity once you have a happy client. Being able to capture your next prospect from a satisfied customer is a huge engine to drive more prospects into the top of your pipeline.

Good luck taking care of your new business and don’t forget to give yourself the right tools to do it. I am here and ready to help you pick those out!!